Judges Meeting - Briefing Script

Discuss past and future events
Post Reply
Nick Taylor
Posts: 70
Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2015 5:31 pm
Location: Bedford
Contact:

Judges Meeting - Briefing Script

Post by Nick Taylor » Fri Sep 08, 2017 5:27 pm

After freestyling my briefing talk at a few judges meetings I decided it would be a good idea to have a script...

Here it is. Feel free to steal it, add to it, laugh at it etc...


• Thanks for judging. We can't run the competition without you
• Has anyone not judged before?
• If you would like someone to sit with you or explain anything just ask
• & ask on the headsets if you have a question while you're judging

• Please write your name & time on the sheet
• When you're judging please write down what happened as well as the penalty
• There are some examples on your judging sheets
L for Left Pole, R for Right pole
C for Competitor
B for Boat
for example - if they hit the Left pole with their Paddle write LP
Right pole with their body RC (C for Competitor)
• If you have your own shorthand that's fine
• Use 2 lines if you need to
• Write an essay if you need to - it all helps the chief judge if there is a protest
• If you think they hit a pole but not sure you must give them benefit of the doubt - BOD

• A few rules I think it's worth mentioning
Heads - the whole head must go through the gate. At the same time as part of the boat.
It’s not a 50 as long as they go through eventually
Not a 50 if they go thru then back then thru again
C2 - both heads must go thru on the same attempt
Pre touch. If gate 3 is hit before gate has been successfully negotiated then give 50 on gate 2
Intentional pushing of a gate to allow negotiation. The criteria to judge an intentional push are:- 1 The Competitor is not in a position to negotiate the gate or 2 That an unexpected action of the Competitor (stroke or body motion) enables negotiation of the gate.

• If it looks like one paddler is going to catch up another paddler please whistle the slower paddler
• The earlier you whistle the better
• Please don't use your phones
• The only people who should see your judging sheets or ask you questions are the chief judge & assistant chief judge.
• If anyone else asks please tell them to go away - politely
• The judging rota will be on the noticeboard (& Twitter #VikingSlalom)

• Thanks again - we really appreciate it

IDL
Posts: 24
Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2013 12:50 pm
Location: Hampshire

Re: Judges Meeting - Briefing Script

Post by IDL » Mon Sep 11, 2017 12:55 pm

Love it. Well done.

Shouldn't this go in the Organisers Pack?

djberriman
Posts: 806
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:19 pm

Re: Judges Meeting - Briefing Script

Post by djberriman » Mon Sep 11, 2017 10:24 pm

excellent and yes a template in the organisers pack would be useful

JimW
Posts: 570
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2015 2:17 pm
Location: Pinkston

Re: Judges Meeting - Briefing Script

Post by JimW » Tue Sep 12, 2017 1:03 pm

Do you need to explain the frame of reference for left and right?

JoS
Posts: 66
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2016 2:30 pm

Re: Judges Meeting - Briefing Script

Post by JoS » Tue Sep 12, 2017 2:03 pm

Brilliant! Two things I would add:
-Going through a gate the wrong way is a 50 and unlike a half head it can't be undone by then going through it the right way (in fact maybe it would be good to have 2 little lists: 50s that can be undone and 50s that can't)
-If you put the pictures that Nick made in for people to print them out and put them in/outside control, it would be helpful for people (clerks, judges at beginning/end of shift, paddlers) to have a quick check if they need to. They did this at Wagon Lane and it was great.

djberriman
Posts: 806
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:19 pm

Re: Judges Meeting - Briefing Script

Post by djberriman » Tue Sep 12, 2017 10:33 pm

A couple of amendments

• If you think they hit a pole but not sure you must give them benefit of the doubt - BOD - you could write it down just in case anyone queries it

• If it looks like one paddler is going to catch up another paddler please whistle the slower paddler but be aware of paddlers missing gates causing a catch up. If you see someone in your section missing gates warn the next gate judge if possible.

Possible additions from experience

• If you have multiple paddlers in section you may need to ask the judge above/below to assist if its possible.

• Please don't use the tutti as a chat line, it isn't, it can be very annoying to others an judge or those in control, its sometimes embarrassing for others to hear your life story. Please ave your chats for when you are off duty.

• Give judging your full attention, please switch off your phone and concentrate on each paddler when they are in your section, no one likes incorrect penalties being given or penalties being missed either.

• Please make sure you aware aware of your judging slots and turn up a few minutes before to ensure you are in place on time. If for any reason you can't make it or are going to be late please let control know.

Nick Taylor
Posts: 70
Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2015 5:31 pm
Location: Bedford
Contact:

Re: Judges Meeting - Briefing Script

Post by Nick Taylor » Wed Aug 22, 2018 7:23 am

Thanks for all the comments - very helpful.

I added in some & it still fits on one sheet:

• Thanks for judging. We can't run the competition without you
• Has anyone not judged before?
• If you would like someone to sit with you or explain anything just ask
• & ask on the headsets if you have a question while you're judging

• Please write your name & time on the sheet
• When you're judging please write down what happened as well as the penalty
• There are some examples on your judging sheets
 L for Left Pole, R for Right pole (Paddler’s Right or Left)
 C for Competitor
 B for Boat
o for example - if they hit the Left pole with their Paddle write LP
o Right pole with their body RC (C for Competitor)
• If you have your own shorthand that's fine
• Use 2 lines if you need to
• Write an essay if you need to - it all helps the chief judge if there is a protest
• If you think they hit a pole but not sure you must give them benefit of the doubt – Write BOD.

• A few rules I think it's worth mentioning
o Heads - the whole head must go through the gate. At the same time as part of the boat.
o It’s not a 50 as long as they go through the gate eventually in the correct direction
o Not a 50 if they go through then back then through again
o C2 - both heads must go thru on the same attempt
o Pre touch. If gate 3 is hit before gate 2 has been successfully negotiated then give 50 on gate 2
o Intentional pushing of a gate to allow negotiation. The criteria to judge an intentional push are:- 1 The Competitor is not in a position to negotiate the gate or 2 That an unexpected action of the Competitor (stroke or body motion) enables negotiation of the gate.

• If it looks like one paddler is going to catch up another paddler please whistle the slower paddler
• The earlier you whistle the better
• Please don't use your phones
• The only people who should see your judging sheets or ask you questions are the chief judge & assistant chief judge.
• If anyone else asks please tell them to go away - politely
• If you see something wrong with the course please tell control
• The judging rota will be on the noticeboard (& Twitter #VikingSlalom). Please turn up on time

• Thanks again - we really appreciate your help

WindsorCC
Posts: 113
Joined: Sat Jul 02, 2016 8:22 pm

Re: Judges Meeting - Briefing Script

Post by WindsorCC » Wed Aug 22, 2018 1:21 pm

Hi Nick, excellent work!

Appreciate this will normally be given by someone who knows their stuff and isn't intended as a replacement for the rulebook (and ideally the judges know the rules!), but just in case it's not I had a couple of comments.

"Pre touch. If gate 3 is hit before gate 2 has been successfully negotiated then give 50 on gate 2" should probably be something like "Pre touch. If gate 3 is started, either by a touch or passing the gate line, before gate 2 has been successfully negotiated then give 50 on gate 2". Just clarifies that going through gate 3 as well as touching it makes it live.

"Intentional pushing of a gate to allow negotiation. The criteria to judge an intentional push are:- 1 The Competitor is not in a position to negotiate the gate or 2 That an unexpected action of the Competitor (stroke or body motion) enables negotiation of the gate." On this one the 'intentional' references need to be removed as it no longer matters if it's intentional or not (maybe replace with 'movement'?). I know we had some protests around that at Cardington last year, so it'd be good to make sure it's clear to all, as I expect a lot of long-standing judges still think of it as deliberate displacement.

JimW
Posts: 570
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2015 2:17 pm
Location: Pinkston

Re: Judges Meeting - Briefing Script

Post by JimW » Wed Aug 22, 2018 2:51 pm

Passing the gate line without a touch is pre-negotiation, most people intuitively get pre-negotiation, but are unsure about pre-touches because the gate wasn't negotiated. If you need to mention it (the term may not be familiar even if the concept is intuitive), make it a separate item.

Check rule C29.4.2, it seems to be indentical to Nick's explanation...
Still a diffilcut one to judge, write plenty!

Dee
Posts: 1444
Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 8:34 pm

Re: Judges Meeting - Briefing Script

Post by Dee » Thu Aug 23, 2018 9:57 am

I have a similar list, couple of extra things on my list from memory - free tea and cake after completing shift; personal safety/slippery banks; how to communicate with control - keeping judging if comms fail; communicating with section judges; what will happen if there is a protest.

It's good to have a list, but not everything needs to be covered at every event - whistling off only needs mentioning at div 2 and below as at div 1/Prem it is the responsibility of the section judges, C2s only need covering if you have C2s, I would only cover pre-touches/pre-negotiation if there is a reasonable likelihood of one occurring.

I think the key thing is to keep the list at any meeting short enough that the judges go away with the key points - thanks and write it down - remembered. I will then try to ensure that new judges are always helped, at least for a short while, by an experienced judge - doesn't always work/happen, but we can but try!
Kit Washer, Entry Clerk, Chauffeur, Reluctant Organiser, Online Entry Advocate .....
Anything I post under this user is my personal opinion; I am not posting as a member of the Slalom Committee!

djberriman
Posts: 806
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:19 pm

Re: Judges Meeting - Briefing Script

Post by djberriman » Sat Sep 15, 2018 10:13 am

Great stuff can this be added to the organisers pack.

When using headsets/tutti don't allow the tutti box to dangle by the wire, stick the string loop over your head or hang it from the string so there is no strain on the wire.

We supply each judging point with a plastic box which includes plenty of spare judging sheets, pencils etc and in the case of a difficult to get to spot such as an island a spare tutty box/headset. The box keeps everything dry and stops it blowing away. Saves a panic when sheets run low or they lose/break something or drop everything in the water.

Post Reply